Ps. Here is a new scholarly work on the sociology of manliness and male identities in Islamic sources and in Muslim societies. Worth reading and reflecting. My previous post has a long list of Multifaith readings: Gender and sexuality in faiths - A select list
The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities
Amanullah De Sondy
Rigid notions of masculinity are causing crisis in the global Islamic
community. These are articulated from the Qur’an, its commentary,
historical precedents and societal, religious and familial obligations.
Some Muslims who don't agree with narrow constructs of manliness feel
forced to consider themselves secular and therefore outside the
religious community.
In order to evaluate whether there really is only one valid, ideal Islamic masculinity, The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities
explores key figures of the Qur’an and Indian-Pakistani Islamic
history, and exposes the precariousness of tight constraints on Islamic
manhood. By examining Qur’anic arguments and the strict social
responsibilities advocated along with narrow Islamic masculinities,
Amanullah De Sondy shows that God and women (to whom Muslim men relate
but are different from) often act as foils for the construction of
masculinity. He argues the constrainers of masculinity have used God and
women to think with and to dominate through and that rigid gender roles
are the product of a misguided enterprise: the highly personal
relationship between humans and God does not lend itself to the
organization of society, because that relationship cannot be typified
and replicated.
Discussions and debates surrounding Islamic
masculinities are quickly finding their place in the study of Islam and
Muslims, and The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities makes a vital contribution to this emerging field.
Introduction\1.The Knot Mawdudi Tied\2. Feminists’
Nonothering Hermeneutics\3. The Failed Search for a Single Qur’anic
Masculinity\4. Mirza Ghalib’s Hedonistic Challenge\5.Sufism’s Beloved
Subversion\Conclusion\Bibliography
Reviews: “De Sondy makes an original and rich contribution to the burgeoning
literature on Islamic masculinities while engaging productively with
Muslim feminist thought.” –
Kecia Ali, Associate Professor of Religion, Boston University, USA.,
“The study of Muslim masculinities is in its infancy, and The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities easily succeeds in laying a secure foundation for this highly significant but neglected field - a major step forward.” –
Ahmet T. Karamustafa, Professor of History, University of Maryland, USA.,
“This book opens the way to rethinking what it means to be a man in
the Islamic tradition, showing the intricate ways in which
constructions of femininity and masculinity are intertwined. It is a
must-read for those wishing to understand the Islamists' obsession with
sexuality, their rejection of gender equality, and their invocation of
religious dogma as the basis for gender rights.” –
Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Centre for Islamic and Middle Eastern Law, SOAS, UK.,
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